Air conditioner



R R R O N A .w

AIR CONDITIONER Filed Jan. 31, 1941 INVENTOR. W. A. Norris.

- conditioned air.

Patented Feb. 3, 1942 AIR CONDITIONER William A.

William H.

Norris, Alhambra, Calil'.,

Fabry and Rae H. Fabry,

assignor to as joint tenants, with right of survlvorshlp Application January 31, 1941, Serial No. 876,787

3 Claims.

This invention relates to air conditioners.

The general object of the invention is to provide an improved evaporative cooler which is particularly adapted for use as a portable unit for the home or office.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide an evaporative cooler including a receptacle and container arranged above the receptacle with novel means for transferring water from the receptacle to the container.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel evaporative cooler including a novel water distributing means for humidifying acolumn of air. y

A further object of the invention isto provide an evaporative cooler including a novel pump member.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a central sectional view through an evaporative cooler embodying the features of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the cooler with parts broken away;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation on a reduced scale; and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary, central sectional, view showing the pump member.

Referring to the drawing by reference characters, I have shown my invention as embodied in an evaporative cooler which is indicated generally at I0. As shown, the cooler includes a cylindrical housing ll having a bottom 12 therein to thereby form a receptacle l2. The' bottom l2 has its periphery seated in a bead l3 in the housing and may be suitably welded as at I4 or otherwise secured in place.

The top of the housing 11 includes an outwardly directed bead l5 which is engaged by a down turned flange 16 on an annular ring H. The ring I! has the edge of a dome shaped recticulated mesh member l8 secured thereto as by soldering and the flange I6 is removable to allow access to the interior of the housing.

The housing intermediate its length includes slots 19 which extend more than half way around the housing to provide outlets for the Extending across the slots I9 I show a griil which includes vertical members 20 and arcuate members 2| which are secured as by welding to the vertical members. At the end vertical members 20 verse partition 23 Spaced above the bottom [2 I show a transis provided with a central aperture 25. The flange 24 fits within and is secured to a collar 26. the latter being secured to the housing II. The collar 26 includes an upwardly directed frustroconical portion 27 which has a downturned lip 28 on the upper end thereof.

The partition 23 forms a distributing surface for water pumped from the receptacle l2 by pump means to be later described. The collar portion 21 and lip 28 form a splash guard.

The housing includes a transversely extending bracket 29 which has flanged ends 30 secured to the housing and has inwardly directed portions 3| which surround a motor 32 and are clamped against the motor by fastening means 33.

The motor 32 includes an armature shaft 34 which projects upwardly at 35 and downwardly at 35. On the armature shaft portion 35 I secure as by a set screw a fan member 38 which includes a pair of superimposed fan members 39 and 40. The details of the fan form no part of the present invention but are shown and described in my copending application, Serial No. 375,226, filed Jan. 21, 1941.

The lower end-portion 36 of the armature shaft extends towards the partition 23 and is coaxial with the aperture 25 in the partition and receives a boss portion 4| of a pump member indicated generally at 42.

The pump member 42 includes a lower portion 43 which is in form of a hollow truncated cone and a head portion 44 coaxial with the portion 43. The head portion 44 includes 9. depending flange cone 43 to which it is shown as welded at 46. The boss portion 4| previously mentioned is on the 'head portion 44 and has a set screw 46 by means of which it is held on the armature shaft The cone of the pump member 42 terminates av short distance from the bottom l2 of the housing II. The head portion 44 includes a recess 41 forming a wall 48 through which spaced apertures 49 extend. The splash guard collar 21 is arranged in alignment with the apertures 49 and the lip 28 is above the apertures 49.

To control the circuit to the motor 32 I provide a switch 50 of standard type which may be secured to the housing II as shown in Figs. 2

are secured to the housing 56 and 3.

which has a downwardly extending peripheral flange 24 thereon and which which receives the upper end of the When the device I is used as a fan to merely circulate the air in a room, the switch 50 is operated and the motor 3| drives the fan member 38 which draws air through the mesh member I! and discharges it through the slots l9.

When the device is used as an evaporative cooler, the space within the housing ll above the bottom I! is filled with water, as shown in Fig. 1. In order to introduce the water, I provide a wedge shaped filling spout 5| as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The spout 5| communicates with the interior of the housing ll through an aperture 52 therein. As a closure for the spout 5| I provide a removable cover 53.

It will be seen that water enters the interior of the cone 43 through the bottom thereof and upon rotation of the cone the water will be raised therein by centrifugal action. The water is discharged at the top of the cone through the aperture 48 and is thrown against the splash guard 21 and distributed onto the partition 22. The water forms a layer on thepartition 23. Any excess water is returned to the main body by passing through the aperture 25.

As the air is directed downwardly by the fan upon the surface of the water on the partition, water is evaporated and the air is thereby cooled. The air striking the surface of the water will produce some circulation and agitation therein.

To prevent mar-ring of surfaces on which the device III may be placed and to reduce vibration, I may provide a plurality of rubber cushion members 54 which are engaged by socket members 55 secured to the bottom II.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that I have invented a novel evaporative cooler that is economical to manufacture, at-

tractive in appearance, and highly eflicient for its intended purpose.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In an evaporative cooler, a housing having a closed bottom and a reticulated mesh top and having an intermediate partition with an aperture therein, said partition having a peripheral flange, a motor mounted within said housing and having a shaft, water lifting means mounted below said motor on said shaft, a shield member being disposed above said partition and comprising a portion having a flange enjoining said partition flange, means to secure said flanges to the housing, said water lifting means being adapted to raise water from said bottom to a location above said partition, said housing having an air outlet above said partition, and a fan disposed above said motor on said shaft and adapted to direct a column of air upon water on said partition. a

2. In an evaporative cooler, a housing having a closed bottom and a reticulated mesh top and having an intermediate apertured partition therein, a motor mounted within said housing and having a shaft, a head member mounted below said motor on said shaft, a truncated cone mounted on said head, the large end of said cone extending upward, the lower end of said cone being apertured, a shield member disposed about the upper end of said cone and comprising a portion secured to said housing, said portion including a down-turned lip, said head portion having spaced holes therethrough, said cone being adapted to raise water from said bottom to a location above said partition, said housing having an air outlet above said partition, and a fan disposed above said motor on said shaft and adapted to direct -a column of air upon water on said partition.

3. In anevaporative cooler, a housing having a closed bottom and a reticulated mesh top and having an intermediate partition with an aperture therein, a motor mounted within said housing and having a shaft, a truncated cone in said housing, the larger end of said cone being upward, the lower end of said cone being apertured, a shield member disposed about the upper end .of said cone and comprising a cylindrical portion secured to said housing, said cylindrical portion having an upwardly tapering frustro conical portion thereon, said frustro conical portion including a down-turned lip, said cone having a hollow upper head portion with spaced peripheral holes therethrough, said cone being adapted to raise water from said bottom to a location above said partition, said housing having an air outlet above said partition, and a fan disposed above said motor on said shaft and adapted to direct a column of air upon water on said partition.

WILLIAM A. NORRIS. 

